Budgie Singer Burke Shelley Hospitalized, European Tour Cancelled

Burke Shelley, the lead singer and bassist of Welsh rock legends Budgie, was rushed to hospital on Tuesday (November 9th,) where he underwent emergency surgery. As a result, the band's European tour has been cancelled. A message from the band's management reads as follows:

"Burke Shelley was admitted to hospital after complaining of pains in his abdomen on Tuesday, November 9th in Wejherowo. A team of surgeons was quickly assembled to operate on the singer and bassist who was diagnosed as having a 6 cm aneurism of the aorta.Tests revealed that Burke’s aorta was leaking blood into the outer wall of the aneurism which could have burst at any time. He underwent a two hour 40 minute operation in the evening and he is being kept in the intensive care ward."

Hellrat, they were the first SOS I ever wrote :) Budgie are probably one of my favourite bands. Breadfan, Melt The Ice Away, Napoleon Bona Parts 1 & 2, Breaking All The House Rules, Homicidal Suicidal, just to name a few of their classic and outstanding contributions to heavy music.

One of the best acts of the 70's. They never achieved great commercial success, which meant none of their material was overplayed to death. That's part of their lasting appeal with more underground metalheads.